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(No. Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. ST 0 NE.

HOISTING APPARATUS.

N0. 271,537. Patented Jan.3(), 1883.

(Haida) (No Model'.) 4 Sheets-Sheetfi. R. STONE.-

HOISTING APPARATUS.

No. 271,537; Patented Jan.30, 1883.

(No Model.) Y Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. STONE.

HOISTING APPARATUS.

No. 271,537, Patented Jan.30, 1883.

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(No Model.) 7 4 ShB6tS+-Sh68t 4. R. STONE.

HOISTING APPARATUS. No. 271,537. I Patented Jan.80,1883.

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Uivrran STATES PATENT rarest ROY STONE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HOISTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,537, dated January 30, 1883.

I Application filed December 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROY STONE, 9f the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Hoisting Stone, of which the following is a specification.

This apparatus is especially intended for raising stone and placing the same on a car or truck. It may be used withina tunnel or excavation andprovided with a grapple for grasping and lifting the stone, such as shown in my Patent No. 262,330. I provide a truck with a turn-table'aiid mast, and parallel-motion bars, by which the grapple is kept at the proper distance from the mast, and hoisting mechanism for actuating the grapple and for moving the bars so theta stone can be taken up by the grapple, raised, turned around, and delivered with great rapidity. In Letters Patent No. 262,330, granted to me, an improved grapple is shown and modifications thereof are represented in my application filed October 20, 1882. In my present improvements it is necessary that the grapple for seizing the stone occupy as little height as possible, in order that the crane may not be unnecessarily elevated, and that the apparatus may be capable of working in a tunnel or other contracted place. I have therefore made certain modifications of'my said grapple, whereby. it is rendered available for use in the present apparatus.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crane with the base in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view below the line a: m. Fig. 3 is a partial elevation at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents the grapple-claws open and pan tially in section, and in larger size than in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the joint or crown for the claws of the grapple. Fig. 6 is a side view of the friction and ratchet wheel. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the grapple-arm of the lazy-arms; and Fig.8 is a plan view of the skirt or pulley frame, partially in section, and the cords or chains to the arms of the claws. Fig. 9 is a cross-section in larger size of the con necting-bolt between the grapple and grapple-arm.

The mast- A is usually provided 'with a platforIn,.B, and wheels 0 at its lower end, and

with a guy pintle or block, D, at the top. Any suitable means, however, may be used for sup: porting the mast A and allowing it to revolve or be revolved in conveying the stone or other substance from one place to the other. I prefer to make the platform B circular in form and fastened to the mast A, and to inclose the same by a cylindrical rim, E, with internal gear-teeth near the top, and to support this rim E by the frame F, that rests as a truckframe upon the wheels 0, so that the apparatus may be moved from place to place with and by the truck F 0 upon a railway-track, G. hen this crane is to be used in a fixed position the wheels and track will not be required. The bottom of the mast should be supported by the screw to, that rests in a cavity in the base-block H. By turning down this screw a the mast and platform will be lifted from the frameof the truck, so that the crane will turn freely at the top pintle and upon the end of the screw it within the socket of thebase-block. A set-screw should he provided at c to press upon the screw a and cause it and the mast to turn together.

111 cases where an engine is provided upon the platform for operating the various pulleys, it will be preferable to make the screw a tubular, so as to pass through the same and through an opening in the mast a flexible tube, d, by which steam or air under compression can be conveyed to the engine. By passing the airconveying tube up through the base-block and screw, as shown, the crane is free to be turned around for transferring the stone from one place to the other.

It is to be understood that the operative parts of my apparatus may berevolved by handpower through cranks and gearing, or that steam or other power may be employed. In order torender the presentinvention more clear, I have not shown any such engine, as the same maybe in anyot' the well-known forms already in use, and the parts may be adapted to such engine by any competent mechanic.

The mast A may be of wood or metal, and it is preferably made in two parts, or with a. central longitudinal opening, as shown, for the pulleys and lazy-arms hereinafter described, so that the parts may move in a vertical plane passing centrally through the mast.

, The lazy-arms K L-are pivoted together at f, and the grapple-arm M is pivoted at one end, I, to the arm K, and there is a link, N, pivoted at g to the end of L, and at 'i to the center of M. These bars or arms K L M N form par- I line with the arm K, or the reverse when the allel-motion or lazy-tongs arms that can be opened or closed, and in so doing they are lengthened or shortened. The innerend of the arm Kis pivoted at o, and the outer end of the arm M is provided with a grapple-claw or other device for grasping and raising the stone or other article to which it is applied.

It will be understood that the lazy-arms can be raised or lowered by means hereinafter described, and that the arm K will swing upon the pivot o in the path indicated by the dotted arcs. The grapple-arm M can also be turned upon its joint 1, that connects it with the arm K. Hence the outer end of the arm M can be elevated or depressed, and can be at a distance from the mast or near to the platform, and the parts can be revolved with and by the mast and platform. Hence the grapple or hoisting device at the end of the arm M can be brought to any place within the range of the apparatus for lifting a rock other article, after which the mast and parts can be turned around, and the lazy-arms raised or lowered, extended or contracted, so as to transfer such stone or article to the proper place for deliver v-such as a car or truck-and place such stone thereon.

In order to revolve the platform and mast, I make use of a pinion, a, upon the platform, gearing into the teeth of a stationary circular rack upon the truclvt'rame F, and said pinion is revolved by a crank and hand-power or by connection to an engine.

The circular rack and the pinion may be below the platform B instead of being above the same, as shown.

The arms K should be double, so that the grapple-arm M passes in between them at one end. Thearm L is between them in the middle, and the winchbarrel I is between them at the pivot 0, which pivot also forms the shaft by means of which the barrel P is revolved. There are jaw plates or bearings, P, on the mast A for the support of the pivotshaft 0 and arms K.

At one end of the pivot-shaft 0 there is to be a crank or other suitable connection to power, by means of which the barrel P can be turned when required, and the ratchet-wheel Q, on the shaft 0 is held by a pawl-lever, R. The edges ofthis wheel Q are, however, beveled,

,as shown at 2, Figs. 2 and 3, and the lever R terminates at one end as afork, 3that is, at the sides of this inclined edge. When the lever B is raised the pawl 4 holds the teeth of the wheel Q, and prevents it from turning. When the lever B is depressed the pawl 41s disengaged, and the fork 3 applies ftiction to the inclined edges of the wheel Q, and according to the force applied, so the wheel Q and barrel P will be allowed to turn more or less rapidly as the rope or chain 5 unwinds from the barrel P. This rope or chain passesfiom the barrel P over a pulley, 6, at the end of the arm L, and is fastened at its end to the mast or platform. Hence when the rope5 is wound upon the barrel l the arm L is brought more nearly into barrel P is allowed to revolve as the rope 5 unwinds. By this operation the grapple-arm M is swung in or out, up or. down, and turned upon its joint 1, the links N forming the parallel'motion connection between L and M.

It is not necessary to place the barrel 1. upon the pivot 0, as said barrel may be upon bearings supported by the platform. In this case the rope 5 will go from the barrel up over the pulley 6 and down to the pivot 0 or arm K.

The spring 8 acts upon the lever B to throw the pawl 24 into contact with the teeth of Q, and band or foot power may be applied to move the lever B the other way.

In order to raise and lower the outer end of the arm Kand to sustain the same when in position, I make use of the clevis-pulley 10 at the joint I, with the rope or chain 12 passing from the eye 13 around such pulley 10, then over the pulley 14. to the barrel S, which is upon a shaft that is supported in bearings 15 upon the platform B, and the wheel 16 is provided with teeth and beveled edges, and there is a lever, 17, having a pawl and fork like the pawl and forked lever R, so that the barrel S can be held by the pawl when the rope 12 has been wound up to the desired place by a crank or other appliance; or said barrel may revolve as the rope draws off and the arm K swings downwardly, the friction of the fork upon the inclined edges of 16 regulating the speed of movement.

By the devices before described I amable to move the crane portion of my hoisting apparatus, and raise or lower the outer end of M, and bring the same nearer to or farther from the mast. I will now describe the improvements that I have made upon the grapple set forth in my aforesaid patent, and show the manner of applying the same to the crane.

The grapple is made with a central stem, 1), with a ball at its lower end, the same being confined by a cup, (1, that is screwed upon the upper end or shank of the crown r, and there is a coupling, s sliding upon the stem 1), and entering the upper end of the cup q, to keep the parts properly in line with each other while the grapple is being lowered or opened. The coupling 8 however, will rise and allow the crown to turn upon the ball-joint whenever the teeth at one side rest upon the stone or article to be raised, and the teeth on the other side are unsupported. This allows the grapple to accommodate itself to the shape of the article to be seized. In order, however, to shorten the length of the grapple and to retain it firmly in place, I employ a cross-bolt, a, passing through jaws at the end of the grapple-arm M. This bolt has a hole across it, through which the upper end of the stem 19 is passed up vertically, and secured by a cross pin or bolt, 02', (see Figs. 7 and 9.) so that the grapple may hang vertically from said bolt, which turns inits jaws as the crane is raised or lowered. The rope or chain 20, passing from the sliding sleeve, goes over the sheaves I) at lJI the outer ends of the cross-bolt to the windingup drums t, upon the same shaft as the drum 1). Upon drawing the rope or chain 21 off the drum 1;, the rope will be wound upon the upon 1) by the rotation of the same and drawn off the drum t In order to operate the-rope 21, I employ the drum i the same being revolved by a crank or other suitable means, the rope 21 passing over the'pulley 24 down to such drum t There is a brakelever, a, that applies a friction to the edge of the drum t to hold the same from turning back when the grapple is opened. By relieving the said lever u the drums are allowed to revolve backwardly as the springs close the claws ofthe grapple.-

Sometimes in moving the lazy-arms the rope 21 may become unduly slack, and be liable to become entangled. I use a weight, a with a rope, 28, over a pulley, 30, to a drum, 29, on

the same shaft as the drum t The weight tends to turn the shaft and the drum 11 and thus take up any slack rope, it such results from the movement of the crane.

In order to shorten the grapple, I make the I projecting skirt or pulley frame 20 around the sleeve, and place upon it at equal distances apart the same number of pulleys 1*, that there are claws to the grapplesay eight-and pass the chains or ropes from the hinged arms 9 over these pulleys to the similar arms on the opposite side.

I prefer to use the chains or ropes double or endless, the same passing from the eye in the arm g at one side up over one of the pulleys, then to the opposite arm (1 and back over the pulley at the opposite edge of the pulley-frame, so that the chains will act with uniformity in opening the claws as the sleeve and pulley-frame are drawn up by the action of the wheel 19, rope 21, drum 1, and rope or chain 20. This feature of the double or endless rope or chain to the arms is shown in a pending application, and is not specially claimed herein.

In some instances the claws become broken by undue strain or carelessness. I provide for simplifying the construction of the crownpiece, and for renewing the pivot-pins for removing the broken claws easily, by making the crown-piece with vertical radial slots at equal distances around such crown-pieces with channels in the facesof the slots to receive the pivot-pins. These pivot-pins b are to be dropped in from the top of the crown, and they pass down to the bottoms of the slots, and are there held in place in the position to form the pivots on which the claws swing, and each claw is made with a hooked joint at the upper end, the slot or mouth of the hook being uppermost, so that when the outer end of the claw is raised up to the position shown by dottedlines the hook can be passed in behind the pivot-pin and the claw swung down to its place.

It is to be understood that the claw cannot become unhooked from its pivot-pin when in use, because the slot that receives the circular end of the claw is recessed to the same shape as the circular head, and thejoint cannot be unhooked until the claw has been moved considerably higher than the place to which the claw opens when in use.

In my aforesaid application I have shown similar devices to the helical springs 34 and braces, each tormed of a rod, 85, sliding in a tube, a, the tube beingjointed at one end to the claw, and the rod at the other end to the rim of the coupling. I employ the same devices in my present grapple; and the advantageous features resulting from this mode of making the braces and springs need not be repeated herein. The claws are made with ribs 36, running along near the outer edges of the backs of the claws, so that the joints for the ends of the tubes 6 and the joints of the arms 0 that are made with stop-toes, as shown in Fig. 4, may come in between these flanges, and the hinge-pins of suchjoints pass through these flanges, as shown. Said flanges, however, converge toward the ends of the claws and unite in single strengthening-ribs, as shown. This construction allows the springs and braces to occupy the space between the flanges as the claws are opened up into the position shown in Fig. 5.

If either claw is broken, its brace has to be un bolted and turned up out of the way to allow the claw to be unhooked at the joint and another claw hooked into place. If either pivot-pin ot' the claw is bent or broken, it can be driven up out of the grooves that hold its ends after the claw has been removed. In tunnels it is best to bore a vertical hole into the rock for receivingthetop pintle of the mast. These holes should be made in succession as the craneis moved along from place place, as the tunnel progresses. In order, however, to accommodate the inequalities in height of the roo'fof the tunnel, the top pintle must be raised or lowered. To eli'ect this object a telescopic mast may be provided; but I prefer to use a fork, 6 for the base of the pintle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and pass this fork at the sides of the upper end of the mast into strong guide-bands, that form slides for the fork. This fork can be raised to bring the pintle into the drill-hole, after which the fork is sustained from sliding down by a pin or spike inserted into the mast at the lower end of the fork,'or through one of the bands and fork.

My improved claw, with a hook-joint at its inner end, might be used with a crown provided with screw bolts or pins inserted into or through the jaws, instead of the joint-pins dropped into the grooves in the faces of the jaws.

1 claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the mast, of the lazy-arms, mechanism for raising and lowering the outer end of the said lazy-arms, and mechanism for drawing the ends of the arms toward each other, or the reverse, and extending or contracting such arms, substantially as set forth.

2. The vertical mast slotted longitudinally, in combination with the armsK, pivoted at the mast, the grapple-arm M, pivoted to the end of the arm K, and the arms L N, forming parallel-motion bars, and mechanism to act upon the arms K and L to swing the lazy-anus and move the end of the grapple-arms outward or inward, upward or downward, substantially as set, forth.

. 3. The combination, with the pivoted mast, of the lazy-arms, the platform, the truck, the screw for raising the mast, the drums, ropes or chains, pulleys, and means for holding' and revolving the respective drums, whereby the lazy-tongs can be swung around to any posi- 'tion, and extended or conlracted, raised or lowered, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the mast and lazyarms, of a grapple at the end of the lazy-arms, springs for closing the claws of the grapple, and the drums p and t and ropes or chains 2t) and 21 for opening the grapple, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the grapple-claws q stem 19, and ball-and-socket joint, of the cross'bolt a", to which the stem is connected, the skirt or pulley frame and pulleys, the rope or chain 2i, and the ropes or chains from the pulley-frame to the respective claws, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the joint-crown, stem, and ball-and-socket joint, of the claws (1 having ribs on the hack edges, the extension-braces and their joints passing in between the ribs, and the springs surrounding the extension-braces, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the claws and joint-crown in a grapple, of the arms 0 passing in between the ribs at the back of the claws, and a joint-pin and stop-toe for such arms, and the sliding-pulley frame and ropes or chains passing from such arms and over the pulleys, substantially as set forth.

s. The combination, with the joint-crown in a grapple, of claws having hookjoints at the upper ends, whereby the claws can he disconnected without removing the pivot, substantially as set forth.

1). The combination, with the grappleclaws havinghooked joints, of the joint-crown having radial slots for said joint-hooks, slots in the faces of such radial slots, and joint pins or pivots held at their ends in such slots, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 11th day of December, A. D. 1882.

ROY STONE.

\Vitnesscs GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Mom. 

